Miklos Ungvari (HUN)

Gill, Nicolas

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Judo athlete Nicolas Gill of Montreal poses with the Canadian flag in front of the Parthenon in Athens, Thursday, August 10, 2004. Gill will carry the flag to lead the Canadian team at the
opening ceremonies of the Olympics on Friday. (CP PHOTO/COC-Mike Ridewood)

Dedicated Japanese pioneers came to the West Coast of Canada. SENSEI Fujita Sataro opened the Shobukan DOJO in Vancouver.

1924

SENSEI Takagaki Shinzo(1893- ) established the Vancouver JUDO Club.

1932

Professor KANO the Founder of JUDO visited Mr SASAKI’s Vancouver JUDO Club and gave a new name to the Club „KIDIKAN.

1940’s

French and English immigrants brought new dimensions associated with the BUDAKWAI of London, the British Army training centers and the French KAWAISHI system. With the relocation of Japanese JUDO
masters to the central region and other provinces, more JUDO activities began to flourish in several cities.

1946

The Canadian KODOKAN JUDO Yudanshakai came into being in Toronto under the guidance of SENSEI Kamino Stephen.

1949

The Canadian JUDO Federation received its Canadian Federal Charter under the guidance of SENSEI Bernard Gauthier and obtained international recognition.

1952

The first Canadian JUDO Championship was held and won by Masao Takahashi of Ottawa.

1950-55

Many European JUDOKA with black belts settled in the East. They established the first Canadian JUDO Federation (C.J.F.) which became affiliated with the INTERNATIONAL JUDO FEDERATION also a newly
established organization.

1956

The first WORLD JUDO CHAMPIONSHIPS is held in Tokyo. Canada sent SENSEI Bernard Gauthier to participate in the first World Championship. The Canadian Kodokan Black Belt Association (CUBBA) was
formed. Mr Steve Sasaki as its 1st president.

1959

First All Canadian JUDO Championship was held in Manitoba and the event was won by Fred Matt from Vancouver.

1964

Doug Rogers won the silver medal at the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS followed by a bronze medal a year later.

1975

KODOKAN promoted Mr SASAKI to Shichidan (7th DAN).

1981

Phil Takahashi and Kevin Doherty of Ontario both won bronze medals at the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

1984

Mark Berger won a bronze medal int he Los Angeles Olympic Gaymes..

1992

Nicolas Gill won Canada’s third Olympic medal when he placed third in Barcelona.

Founder of Canadian JUDO Mr SASAKI died.

1993

N. Gill won silver medal at the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS in Hamilton. He won bronze medals at the 1995 and 1999 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS.

2000

N. Gill won gold medal in the Sydney OLYMPIC GAMES.

International Competition

In judo Canadians have won five Olympic medals since it was added to the Summer games

in 1964.

Doug Rogers (1941 -) won silver in the +80 kg category in 1964, Mark Berger (1954 - ) won bronze in the +95 kg
category in 1984, and the Canadian national title in 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, and 1986. Nicolas
Gill (1972 - ) won bronze in the 86 kg category in 1992 and silver in the 100 kg category in 2000, and Antoine Valois-Fortier (1990- ) won bronze in the -81 kg category in 2012 (a video of this
match is available in the 'External links' section below). Sandra Greaves (1963 -) became the first woman to compete for Canada in Olympic Judo in 1988. The Canadian Judo team trains at the
National Training Centre in Montreal under Gill's direction.

Seven medals have been awarded to Canadians at the World Judo Championships. Rogers won bronze in the +80 kg
category in 1965, Phil Takahashi won bronze in the -60 kg category and Kevin Doherty won bronze in the -78 kg category in 1981; Gill won silver in the 86 kg category in 1993, bronze in 1995, and
bronze in 100 kg in 1999; and Valois-Fortier won silver in the -81 kg category in 2014.